Means for moving printing plates in a plate casting and finishing machine



Nov. 22, 1966 .TOLLISON ET AL 3,286,308

P. L MEANS FOR MOVING PRINTING PLATES IN A PLATE CASTING AND FINISHING MACHINE Original Filed June 6, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet l mv TORS PAUL L. T CHARLES 1.. R cgggs BY PAUL .1. SCHK X ATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1966 TOLLISON ET AL 3,286,308

MEANS FOR MOVING PRINTING PLATES IN A PLATE CASTING AND FINISHING MACHINE Original Filed June 6, 1961 8 Sheetsr-Sheet 2 "f fil fi PAUL I CHARLES L. RICARDS 24W ATTORNEYS Original Filed June 6, 1961 Nov. 22 1966 P. TOLLISON ET AL 3,286,308

MEANS FOR MOVING PRINTING PLATES IN A PLATE CASTING AND FINISHING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3

N O Q INVENTORS PAUL L. TOLLISON CHARLES L. RICARDS BY PAUL J. CHKEEP R 76, K W ATTORNEYS NOV. 22, 1966 p TQLLISON ET AL E3,286,308

MEANS FOR MOVING PRINTING PLATES IN A PLA CASTING AND FINISHING MACHINE Original Filed June 6, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 H 1 FIG.4

INVENTORS PAUL 1.. TOLLJSON CHARLES L. R cggs BY PAUL J. SCHK flwx KW ATTORNEYS FIG. 5

Nov. 22, 1966 P. L. TOLLISON ET AL 3,286,308

MEANS FOR MOVING PRINTING PLATES IN A PLATE CASTING AND FINISHING MACHINE Original Filed June 6, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 lco EN 7 r a W i w I U MA 57 A 3; I I; l HE I 1:

1- L I s I IN\\\\ I I I M I /I i lNV ENTORS E i%RL E S E R ?8A RDS PAUL u. s HK EP R fliiu W12 2 aw ATTORNEYS NOV. 22, 1966 p TQLLISQN ET AL 3,286,308

MEANS FOR MOVING PRINTING PLATES IN A PLATE CASTING AND FINISHING MACHINE Original Filed June 6, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. 5

. INVENTORS PAUL L. TOLLISON CHARLES BY PAUL; S H

NOV. 22, 1966 p TOLLISON ET AL 3,286,308

MEANS FOR MOVING PRINTING PLATES IN A PLATE CASTING AND FINISHING MACHINE Original Filed June 6, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS PAUL L. OLLISON CHARLES L. RICARDS BY PAUL SCHKEEPER A, hr w WTTORNEYS NOV. 22, 1966 p o so ET AL 3,286,308

MEANS MOVING PRINTING PLATES IN A PLATE STING AND FINISHING Orlglnal Flled June 6, 1961 MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG. H

FIG. IO

INVENTORS PAUL L. TOLLISON CHARLES L. RICARDS BY PAUL J SCHKEEEER W M W,

I 7 ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oilfice 3,286,308 Patented Nov. 22, 1966 3,286,308 MEANS FOR MOVING PRINTING PLATES IN A PLATE CASTING AND FINISHING MACHINE Paul L. Tollison, North Plainfield, Charles L. Ricards, South Plainfield, and Paul J. Schkeeper, Plainfield, N.J., assignors to Wood Newspaper Machinery Corporation, Plainfield, N.J., a corporation of Virginia Original application June 6, 1961, Ser. No. 115,145, now Patent No. 3,172,172, dated Mar. 9, 1965. Divided and this application Jan. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 426,638

7 Claims. (Cl. 22-3) This invention relates to a stereotype plate casting machine, and more particularly to a means for moving cast printing plates from a finishing arch where a tail portion of the plate is severed from the plate. This application is a division of our copending application Serial No. 115,145, filed June 6, 1961, now Patent No. 3,172,172.

Stereotype plate castings used in newspaper presses must be cast quickly and without any blemishes on the type surface because of gas evolving from the molten metal as it solidifies. Usually the plate is cast with the tail portion at the top of the plate as it lies in the mold cavity so that gases may rise into this portion and also to provide a sufiicient reservoir of molten metal to counteract for shrinkage of the casting as it solidifies. The tail portion is then severed from the casting and the cut edge of the remaining plate portion of the casting beveled so that it may be fitted onto a printing cylinder. In addition, recesses are often milled on the underside of the plate so that plate may be locked onto the printing cylinder by plate locking clamps mounted on the cylinder.

It is desirable that the complete machine be as automatic in operation as possible in order to reduce labor expense and the necessity of manually handling hot castmgs.

It is, therefore, an object of our invention to provide for a plate casting and finishing machine in which the steps from the act of casting until the plate is completely finished and cooled and ready for removal to the pressroom are completely automatic.

It is a further object to provide for means which will automatically move plates from a shaving-arch wherein the tail is severed from the plate so doing away with manual handling of the hot plate. w a

Broadly, we propose to provide for a plate casting and finishing machine which has a casting station, a shaving station, an ejection station, a milling station, and a cooling station. The casting station comprises a movable core which cooperates with a movable box to form a mold cavity.

Core rotation means are provided for rotatingthe core to a horizontal position where pusher means may then push the casting into the shaving station. In the shaving station, the tail is severed from the casting and the severed edge trimmed by conventional means.

Propeller means are provided in the shaving station for moving the cast plate out of the station. The propeller means comprises a rotatable lug mounted on a lug carriage. The lug carriage in turn is slidably mounted in tracks on a rotatable knife bar which carries thereon a cutting saw for severing the tail section from the casting and knives for beveling the severed end of the casting. The carriage is connected to a drive chain which in turn is intermittently driven by the rotatable knife bar.

Powered rollers are provided to carry the severed tail from the shaving station to an ejection station and also to move the plate after it is moved out of the shaving station by the propeller means.

The ejection station of the casting machine has a pivotable arm therein which pivots underneath a severed tail to throw the tail from the machine onto a conveyor which returns it to the melting pot. The pivotable arm also has a control so that the arm may be actuated to eject a defective plate from the casting machine.

Referring to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of our invention is shown,

FIG. 1 is a front partial sectional view of a complete plate casting and finishing machine constructed according to our invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the machine of FIG. 1 illustrating the propelling means for moving a plate out of the shaving station;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the exit end of the shaving station;

FIG. 4 is a broken plan view of the shaving station of FIGS. 2 and 3 with the shaving arch removed;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lug shown in FIG. 2 taken along lines 55;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged end view of the differential gear assembly illustrated in FIG. 3 taken along lines 6-6;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side sectional view of the shaving arch and of a part of thelug drive means;

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the FIG. 7 taken along lines 88;

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 taken along lines 9-9;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 8

taken along lines 1010;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 8 taken along lines 1111; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 9 taken along lines 1212.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings and in particular to FIGURE 1, which illustrates a casting and finishing machine in which the present invention is incorporated, 1 denotes generally the stereotype plate casting machine having a casting station 200, a shaving station 300, an ejection station 500, a milling station 600, and a cooling station 700.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 3, there is shown the shaving station com-prising a shaving arch 301 having suitable means for severing a tail portion T of -a cast plate P along with the propeller means of the present invention for moving the plate out of the shaving station. A plate is initially positioned in the shaving arch of the shaving station by means of a suitable plate pusher arm, not shown, until cast lugs L, which are cast onto the tail portion of the plate as shown in FIGURE 4, contact adjustable stops 303 as shown in FIGURE 4. The stops 303 are adjustable and are attached to a rotatable knife bar 302 which is journalled in bearing assemblies 304 and 305 carried in the frame of the casting and finishing machine. The knife bar is rotated by a worm gear 307 connected to a drive means (not shown).

After the plate has been positioned in the shaving arch 301, itis lifted and clamped to the underside of the arch, the tail is severed by a suitable saw or knife 330 rotatably mounted on the rotatable knife bar 302 and the severed edge beveled by suitable knives, not shown.

The propeller means'of the present invention for moving the cast plate out of the shaving station after the tail portion T has been severed therefrom comprises a pivoted lug 360 which is mounted on a shaft 362 which in turn is carried by a carriage 364. The lug 360 has spring means in the form of a torsion spring 366 which urges the lug upward so that it may contact the rear end of a plate to move the plate out of the shaving arch and so that a cast plate may pass over it when moved into the arch by the pusher arm. The carriage 364 slides in support means in the form of ways 368 which, in turn, are connected to the knife bar 302. The marriage 364 is connected through a narrow slot 370 in the ways 368 to a chain-operated.

carrier 372 by means of an extension 374 which in turn is connected to the carrier by a suitable pin, not shown. The chain-operated carrier 372 is slidable in ways 376 machined in the knife bar 302, and the chain-operated carrier is confined in the ways 376 by the ways 368 which also serve as a protective covering to prevent entry of metal chips, shavings, etc. into the ways 376. The chainoperated carrier is moved longitudinally of the machine by means of a carriage drive means. More specifically, the carrier is connected by a bolt 378 to a special link 380 which is a part of a chain 382. Chain 382 fits onto an adjustable sprocket 384 and to a drive sprocket 386. The adjustable sprocket 384 is slidable longitudinally of the knife bar in ways 388 machined in the knife bar and is held in position in the ways by a clamp 390. By moving the sprocket 384, the tension of the chain 382 may be adjusted.

Drive sprocket 386 is driven by the knife bar through a gear train connected between the drive sprocket and knife bar. More specifically, drive sprocket 386 is driven by mitre gears 392 and 394 as shown in FIGURE 3. Mitre gear 394 has an integral shaft 396 which extends outwardly of the knife bar 302 and has secured to its end a differential bevel gear 398. Differential bevel gear 398 in turn meshes with bevel gears 400 and 402. Gears 400 and 402 are journalled in a spider 404 which is rotatable about shaft 396. An input gear 406 is a central member of the differential gear mechanism and is an integral part of the enclosing structure for the differential.

Referring to FIGURES l and 11, it is seen that a gear 408 is keyed to a differential bevel gear 410 which also meshes with gears 400 and 402. Gear 408 meshes with a pinion 412 which in turn meshes with another pinion 414 as best shown in FIGURE 8. Pinion 414 meshes with gear drive means for rotating the knife bar which includes drive gear 306 which is also used to actuate the plate clamping mechanism in order to clamp the plate up against the shaving arch 301.

Referring to FIGURES 7, 9 and 12, it is seen that gear 406 of the differential meshes with a gear 416 which in turn is keyed to a gear 418 journalled on a cam shaft 310. Gear 418 meshes with an idler gear 420 which is actuated by a carrier drive control means. More specifically, a rack 422 is disposed in meshing engagement with the gear 420. Rack 422 may be moved by a rack actuator comprising double acting fluid actuator having a cylinder 424. Fluid pressure to cylinder 424 is controlled by a solenoid-operated valve (not shown) controlled by a limit switch 426 and a cam-operated switch 428. A earn 430, also part of the carriage drive control means is mounted on cam shaft 310 and will actuate switch 428 to cause hydraulic pressure to be admitted to the closed end of cylinder 424 to move the rack 422 to the right as shown in FIGURE 9. When rack 422 contacts limit switch 426, it will cause hydraulic pressure to be admitted to the rod end of the cylinder 424 so causing the rack to move to the left from the position shown in FIGURE 9.

During rotation of the knife bar 302, the lug 360 will tend to move longitudinally of the bar and not be in correct position to receive a plate coming int-o the shaving arch 301 if provision is not made in the arrangement of the gearing to cancel out relative rotation between the shaft 396 and the knife bar 302. In the illustrated arrangement of gearing, it will be evident from FIGURES 10 and 11 that when the knife bar rotates one revolution, gear 306, keyed to the knife bar, will cause gear 408 through intermeshing pinions 412 and 414 to also rotate one revolution but in an opposite direction to that of the knife bar. Gear 408, which is keyed to gear 410, will then cause gears 400 and 402 to rotate. If the spider 404 is locked from rotation by maintaining fluid pressure in cylinder 424 and thus locking the rack 422 and gears 420, 418, 416 and 406 from movement, then gears 400 and 402 will cause the gear 398 and shaft 396 to rotate in t-hesame direction as the knife bar 302 with no relative movement between them. Since there is no relative movement, the lug 360 will remain stationary with respect to the knife bar.

The sequence of operation in propelling a cast plate out of the shaving arch is as follows: As the knife bar rotates and just before it stops, cam 430 will trip switch 428 setting up an electrical circuit so that when the knife bar stops rotating, the cam 430 will release the switch 428 to energize a solenoid valve (not shown) to divert a pressure fluid to the closed end of cylinder 424. This will move rack 422 to the right as shown in FIGURE 9 to rotate gears 420, 418, 416 and 406. Rotation of gear 406 and spider 404 will then cause gears 400 and 402 to rotate resulting in rotation of gear 398, shaft 396, gears 394 and 392 which drives the sprocket 386. Rotation of the sprocket 386 will, through the chain 382 and special link 380, cause the carriage 364 and lug 360 to move to the left from the position shown in FIGURE 2 to move the plate from the shaving arch.

As the rack 422 contacts limit switch 426, the valve solenoid referred to above will be de-energized thereby allowing fluid pressure to be exerted on the rod end of cylinder 424 to cause the rack and propeller to return to the left from the position shown in FIGURE 9 to its starting position and to allow fluid pressure to be kept on the rod end of the cylinder to lock the rack in place.

The control circuits connecting the various limit switches, interlocks, electric drives, and solenoid valves are not illustrated since it is not necessary in order to understand the workings of the propeller means of the plate casting and finishing machine.

We claim:

1. In a stereotype plate casting and finishing machine having a shaving station, a rotatable knife bar rotatably mounted in said shaving station about an axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said machine and carrying a saw for severing the tail portion of a cast plate, and gear drive means for rotating said knife bar, the improvement characterized by a plate propeller mechanism for moving a cast plate from said shaving station comprising a movable carriage positioned on said knife bar, a pivotable lug mounted on said carriage, and carriage drive means for moving said carriage along the longitudinal axis of said casting and finishing machine independently of the rotation of said knife bar to move a cast plate from said shaving station after the tail portion has been severed therefrom.

2. In a machine according to claim 1, the improvement further characterized by spring means for biasing said lug into the path of movement of the plate in said shaving station.

3. In a machine according to claim 1, the improvement further characterized by a gear train connecting said carriage drive means to said gear drive means for said knife bar.

4. In a machine according to claim 3, the improvement further characterized by carriage drive control means for initiating operation of said carriage drive means after each revolution of said knife bar to reciprocate said carriage along the longitudinal axis of said casting and finishing machine and to move said plate out of said shaving station.

5. In a machine according to claim 4, the improvement further characterized by the fact that said carriage drive means comprises a drive sprocket rotatably mounted on said knife bar, a shaft rotatably disposed within said knife bar and extending outwardly thereof along its longitudinal axis and having a driving connection with said drive sprocket at its inner end, differential gear mechanism mounted at the other end of said shaft and connected to said gear drive means for rotating said knife bar and to said carriage drive control means.

6. In a machine according to claim 5, the improvement further characterized by the fact that said carriage drive control means includes a rack connected to said 5 6 differential gear mechanism, and a rack actuator for se- References Cited by the Examiner lectively holding said rack in fixed position to prevent relative rotation of said shaft and said knife bar. UNITED STATES PATENTS 7. In a machine according to claim 6, the improve- 2,364,032 11/1944 Wood et 22 3 ment further characterized by a cam mounted for rota- 5 tion with knife bar for initiating reciprocation of said rack SPENCER OVERHOLSER Prmary Exammer' after eachrevolution of said knife bar. E. MAR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A STEREOTYPE PLATE CASTING AND FINISHING MACHINE HAVING A SHAVING STATION, A ROTATABLE KNIFE BAR ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID SHAVING STATION ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID MACHINE AND CARRYING A SAW FOR SEVERING THE TAIL PORTION OF A CAST PLATE, AND GEAR DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID KNIFE BAR, THE IMPROVEMENT CHARACTERIZED BY A PLATE PROPELLER MECHANISM FOR MOVING A CAST PLATE FROM SAID SHAVING STATION COMPRISING A MOVABLE CARRIAGE POSITIONED ON SAID KNIFE BAR, A PIVOTABLE LUG MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE, AND CARRIAGE DRIVE MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CARRIAGE ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CASTING AND FINISHING MACHINE INDEPENDENTLY OF THE ROTATION OF SAID KNIFE BAR TO MOVE A CAST PLATE FROM SAID SHAVING STATION AFTER THE TAIL PORTION HAS BEEN SEVERED THEREFROM. 